Espinacas con Garbanzos | Seville-Style Spinach and Chickpea Tapas

Wash the spinach several times, remove the thick stems, and roughly chop the leaves. Blanch in boiling salted water for just 2 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. Squeeze out all the liquid by hand; spinach that is not well-drained will water down the dish, and that liquid will not cook off later.

Tear the bread into walnut-size pieces. Heat half the olive oil in a pan and fry the bread until golden on all sides, then transfer it to a bowl. The bread will absorb the oil; that is correct, and the oil helps thicken the sauce.

Put the fried bread, garlic, and cumin in a mortar and mash with the apple cider vinegar; if using a food processor, pulse briefly. Keep the paste coarse rather than smooth — the bread pieces are part of the dish’s texture.

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and stir-fry the chickpeas for 3 minutes. Lower the heat, add both types of smoked paprika, and stir for 20 seconds — dried peppers burn quickly in oil. Add the bread paste and chickpea cooking liquid, bring to a boil, and cook until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the squeezed spinach to the pan and toss to combine. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, until no liquid remains at the bottom; a path drawn through the middle with a spoon should stay open. Serve warm with toasted bread.